


We Shouldn't Have Come In The First Place

by SaraJaye



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Creepy, Desperation, F/M, Fear, Horror, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 20:24:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3950509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is above and beyond any of Gerald's stories. This time it's for real.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Shouldn't Have Come In The First Place

**Author's Note:**

> _any, any, Last thing I remember, I was running for the door._

Even now, when they could be dead the next time they turn around, she can't help the sheer joy of his sweaty hand holding hers and his warm breath against her neck. If it weren't for the chill and the overwhelming feelings of dread this would be the ideal scenario, right out of her fantasies!

"Gerald was right," he whispers. "This is above and beyond every other legend, he warned us we'd regret coming here."

It started as usual with Gerald telling a story. A family obsessed with creating the perfect human being, trapping unspsecting people in their mansion to experiment until they were either enhanced or dead. None of these people came back. If Helga had known the rumors had truth to them, she never would have come here.

"He sure did," Helga mutters. "Oh, why did I have to be such an arrogant fool?! Why did I have to mock those with common sense, and why..." Her voice drops, and her eyes sting. "Why did I have to drag you along with me?" Arnold blinks.

"Helga?"

She swallows. This could be it. It's now or never, if she doesn't say _something_ or she'll roam the earth a regretful ghost forever.

"You, Arnold, are the one person I never want to see hurt," she says, barely able to look him in the eye. "I-I know I treat you like crap and sometimes you really are a big football-headed loser but I just...well...I don't hate you!" There. It's not the three words she'd felt since preschool but it's something.

He looks surprised for only a moment before smiling, his other hand on her shoulder.

"I always knew you were a good person deep down, Helga. You act tough, but you've got a heart and I like when you show that."

"Oh, Arnold...! Should these be our last moments together-"

"Hey, now." He pats her shoulder. "Don't go getting all dramatic on me. There's a way out, we just have to find it before the sun's completely gone."

"Right!" She puts her tough face back on. "We're a team and no one's gonna take _our_ souls and eat them for breakfast!"

So they keep running. And ducking. And trying not to yelp out loud at every little noise or whisper they hear. But alas, the corridors are endless and the sun creeps lower and lower until they're trapped. Their flashlight's batteries are dying and the few lit candles give no comfort or help.

They huddle in a corner, Helga burying her face in Arnold's shoulder as they close their eyes and wait for the end.

-x-

She wakes up on a cot in the boarding house, the wrinkled face of Arnold's grandma smiling down at her. She's so surprised to be awake she doesn't even bother to make a nasty remark.

"What the hell happened?"

"You two passed out just before the cops arrived. Good thing, too, that place has a nastier history than we thought," Gerald says. Phoebe stands beside him in tears, instantly flings her arms around Helga as she sits up.

"Oh, Helga...!"

"H-hey...hey, Pheebs, knock it off. Come on, I'm still alive." She pats the girl's head. "Come on, stop blubbering all over me!"

"Sorry we worried you." The first words Arnold says when he comes to, of course. Gerald sighs, punching his shoulder.

"Man, you've done some crazy things, but this has gotta take the cake."

And then, Helga hears the familiar footsteps of the last guy she expected to show up. Big Bob looks relieved and pissed at the same time, Miriam and Olga come in a few moments later. Olga's weeping, of course, but at least Miriam's relatively calm.

"Someone oughta knock that place down," Big Bob mutters. "Glad you're okay, kiddo."

Arnold smiles at her, Phoebe steps back to let her family hug her, and for once Helga gives into the sappy feelings building in her. It's almost worth nearly getting mutated by a family of unstable geneticists and their poisons.

Almost. If Big Bob has the place torn down and those freaks thrown in jail, she'll be there with popcorn.


End file.
